Shield for electric wall sockets



i Feb. 22, 1949. J. N. LEOPOLD SHIELD FOR ELECTRIC WALL SOCKETS Filed De.

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TEg/vsmEE/vr PLAST/C INVENTOR JOHN N. LEOPGLD Patented Fei.l 22,. 1949I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,462,756 i SHIELDPFOR EIIEC'IRIC WALL SOCKETS .John N. Leopold, Staten Island, N. Y. Application December 20, 1945, Serial No. 636,230

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a shield for an electric wall socket.

More specifically, the present invention proposes the construction of a shield adapted to cover electric circuit plugs in Ian electric wall socket so that they may not be tampered with by children or accidentally knocked out of place, the

shield being characterized by having a semcylindrical body closed at its ends and preferably made of transparent plastic or similar material, the body having means for securing it to the plate of the Wall socket and having orifices for the passage of the electric wires of the plugs.

A further object is to provide a shield as aforesaid having fastening means Which can not be tampered with by children.

Another object is to provide a shield as aforesaid having special attachment to the wall socket.

Still another object is to provide a shield having flanges adapted to be gripped by the wall socket plate.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shield constructed in accordance with the present invention, the shield being shown with the associated structure that it will be used with.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shield alone.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but with certain parts omitted, showing a modification of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a fitting shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a special screw for attaching the shield to a wall socket.

Fig. 7 is a view of a tool to be used with the screw of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is avlew similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification of this invention.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 ls a view of the shield ci Fig. 8 in open position.

This shield, according to the present invention, is adapted to cover the plugs III of electric cords II, the plugs being plugged into the sockets I2 of a wall socket I3 having a plate I4 held in place 2 by a center screw, later to be described. The wall socket, plate and sockets are all conventional and are assembled with a box I5 in a hole I6 of a base board II of a room I8. Ordinarily the plate I4 is heid in place by a small screw threaded into a threaded orice in the bar that supports the sockets I2 in the box I5. However, according to the present invention, this customary screw is replaced by another screw, later to be described.

When wall sockets are left unprotected, they are a source of great interest to small children, who delight in pulling out the plugs, tampering with them, sticking hairpins and the like into the sockets and in general doing damaging and dangerous acts. The shield of the present invention, indicated generally by the reference number I9, is designed to prevent such malicious or mischievous acts. It also prevents accidental pulling of the plugs out of the sockets, which is important in the case of devices such as electric clocks which become inactive when unplugged.

The shield is preferablyl made of transparent plastic, although it may be made of other material if desired. It has a semi-cylindrical front Wall 2D and integral side Walls 2|. At its center, it has a hole 22 and along one edge it has two recesses 23.. A shouldered screw 24 secures the shield to the plate I4 and the plate I4 to the box. This screw 24 has a threaded end adapted to be screwed into the 'socket support in the usual manner. It also has a shoulder 25 adapted to engage the outer face of the plate I4. The shoulder must be smaller than the hole 22 so that it can pass therethrough and the head 26 of the screw must be larger than the shoulder 25 so that it cant pass through the hole 22. The inner edges of the shield are all in one plane so that they bear evenly against the base board, with the wires I I extending through the recesses 23.

The shield is quite rigid due to the integral structure of the side and f ront walls. The screw,

- due to the shoulder, can be turned tightly in place so that children can not remove it. The transparency of the shield enables a person to inspect the plugs without removing the shield. The front wall of the shield lies close enough to the plugs and the wires therein to prevent the plugs from being pulled out of the sockets. The shield is fastened in place after the plugs arein the sockets, the plate I4 being in place but unfastened until the screw 24 is tightened home.

In Fig. 4 is a modified type of screw which may be employed if desired. Here a tting 2l is employed for holding the plate I4' in place in the box. Thus the plate may be secure before the 3 shield I' is fastened in place. The fitting has a shoulder 25' and a threaded socket 2B in which an ordinary boit 29 is screwed to secure the shield to the plate. y

In Fig. 6 a special bolt 29' is shown which may be used in place oi the bolt 29. T he head 30 of this bolt is not provided with a slot but is provided with two pits 3| which can be employed, by means of the tool 32 shown in Fig. 7, in turning the screw. However, a child not possessing the tool 32 can not turn this screw with an ordinary yscrew driver.

A shield I0" constructed in accordance Awith another modication of this invention is shown in Figs. 8-10. Ihe shield is similar to the shield vof Fig. 1 except that the side walls 2|" are formed of two parts 2la and 2|b divided at the seam 2 Ic permitting the top face 20" to be partly unrolled as shown in Fig. 10. Also, the top and 33 in place and preventing the shield from being removed.

The especial advantage of the shield of Figs. 8-10 is that is is tamper-proof. A child can not get at the screw 34 without a particular type of screw driver that would fit through hole 22".

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as deilned in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A shield for protecting electric cord plugs inserted in the sockets of a wall socket box comprising a semi-cylindrical body having end clos' ing walls, each of said end walls being divided into two'parts by an openable seam, the edges o! said body perpendicular to said end walls terminating in flanges extending inwardly into said shield, said body having ports for the passage of said electric cords and a hole adapted to align with the screw hole of the plate of the wall socket box, said flanges being adapted4 to be caught under said plate.

2. A shield for protecting electric plugs ins erted in the sockets of a wall socket box comprising a semi-cyclindrical body having end closing walls, each of said end walls being divided into two parts by an openable seam, the edgesl of said body perpendicular to said end walls terminating in flanges extending inwardly into said shield, said bodyhaving ports for the passage of said electric cords, said flanges being adapted to be caught under a socket face plate.

3. A shield for the sockets of a wall socket box comprising a semi-cylindrical body having end closing walls, each oi' said end walls being divided into two parts by an openable seam, the edges of said body perpendicular to said end walls terminating in flanges extending inwardly into ysaid shield, means affording passage of electric cords into said shield, .and said flanges being adapted to be caught under a socket face plate.

. JOHN N. LEOPOLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Electrical Equip, page 7, Jan. 1944. 

